Thursday, December 21, 2006

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Slightly fewer adolescents abused illegal drugs and alcohol in 2006, but fairly high numbers of them continued to abuse prescription narcotics, according to a new study.

Researchers found reasons to be encouraged, but also concerned. The government-funded study, conducted by the University of Michigan, found that a high number of teens are taking over-the-counter cold medicine to get high. Measured for the first time, teenagers' abuse of such medicine is widespread, the survey said.

Of some concern to the researchers was a slight increase in the use of ecstasy, and the continued relatively high use of OxyContin and Vicodin.

OxyContin use by 12th-graders, which peaked in 2005 at 5.5 percent, dropped back to 4.3 percent, but the greatest levels to date were observed among eighth-graders (2.6 percent) and 10th-graders (3.8 percent).

Use of the painkiller Vicodin showed even higher rates. Use this year hit 3 percent for eighth-graders, 7 percent for 10th-graders, and 9.7 percent for 12th-graders.

The abuse of cough and cold medicines called DXM, Dex, and Skittles by teens had attracted 4 percent of eighth-graders, 5 percent of 10th-graders and 7 percent of 12th-graders.---------------

Well, thank God there was no increase in marijuana use! (said with tongue planted firmly in cheek)

I have to wonder what kind of results anyone excpected? Does it come as a surprise that teens are experimenting with 'legal' drugs? I mean come on...every time they turn on the TV they are bombarded with advertisements from pharmaceutical companies trying to sell them pills. Pills to be happy, pills to be skinny, pills to be pimple free. They think there is a pill for everything and that pills and manmade drugs are ok because, hey we advertise them on TV, right?

We have allowed the government through prohibitionist fear mongering, to erroneously teach our kids to think that pot, which won't kill them (even though teens do not need to be smoking it) is worse than man-made pharmaceutical drugs which will kill them, simply because pot is 'illegal'.

1 comment:

I can just see how some people may get addicted to some of that stuff. However, I do agree with you, that there's not that much of a difference between legal and illegal drugs, especially if they are being abused. I would say that most times, legal drugs that are used as prescribed are safer. But, if you're stupid enough abuse the legal ones and think that they will be safe...well, there's not much that can be done with that level of intelligence.